Spring motor for signaling mechanism



June 15 1926. 1,588,496

H. E. REEVE SPRING MOTOR FOR SIGNALING MECHANISM Filed August 28, 924 2Sheets-Sheet. 1

H. E. REEVE SPRING MOTOR FOB SIGNALZENG MECHANISM June 15 1926.

2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed August 28. 1924 fi ural- 596a acmsee, nwmronl/e/sh X98062. 5.2190417? Patented June 15, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. REEVE, DECEASED, LATE OF NEW YORK, N. Y.; BY HEL EN REEVE,EXECU- TRIX, OE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SPRING MOTOR FOR SIGNALING MECHANISM.

Application filed August 28, 1924. Serial No. 734,572.

My invention relates particularly to what plates 10 and 11 is secured agear 17 to are commonly termed pull boxes for alarm systems and thisapplication is a partial continuation of #640,241, filed May 19th, 1923.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a simple,inexpensive but reliable form of release mechanism, to

simplify the wind-up ratchet mechanism and lnsure proper operationwlthout lnterference, to construct and arrange the parts so that the mamspring can be readily wound and assembled with-the remainder of themechanism and to facilitate accurate and permanent assembly of the partsof the frame of the motor. The preferred form of mechanism for carryingout these objects separately and collectively is shown in theaccompanying two sheets of drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front View of a pull box spring motor embodying theimprovements of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same Fig. 3 is a front view of themechanism with the front plate and operating handle omitted.

Fig. 4 is a rear View.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the method of mounting themain spring.

Fig. 6 shows mechanism for initially winding the main spring.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the method of holding one ofthe gear shafts in place.

Fig. 8 is a perspective detail showing the means for spacing the frameplates.

The frame of the motor has a front plate 10 and a back plate 11. Theseplates are spaced apart by channel-like or angularposts 12 and held intheir proper relation by the screws 13. Each post member 12 has two lugs14 on each end seated in recesses or holes in the frame plates. This isa very simple and inexpensive construction and yet it is very easy toassemble and the parts are held rigidly against twisting or displacementwhen the screws 13 are tightened. Each of the screws 13 is preferablylocated within the channel; of one of the post mem-- the shaft and thendraw out the shaft.

bers.

The signal mechanism has a wheel 15.

, mounted on a shaft 16 and constructed and ed on the shaft 16andsecured to the pinion 20. v

The main driving spring 21 has its inner end hooked on to the pin 22which projects from the sleeve 23. This sleeve 23 is mount ed on theshaft 24 outside of the frame and is normally locked to the shaft by thepin 25. The outer end of the spring 21 is secured to a bolt member26. Abracket 27 is provided for holding the spring in place. This bracket isheld to the frame plate'll by means of the screw 28 and the bolt 26 andin its turn holds the pin 25 from accidental disengagement. Thisconstruction makes it possible to assemble the spring and other parts ina very simple manner. For instance, thespring is hooked to the pin 22and the bolt 26 before being wound up. At this time the pin 25 has notbeen inserted. The winding. shaft 29'l1owever is inserted in cured inposition. Thereupon the winding handle 29 is released and the pin 30withdrawn. I

The gear 31 meshes with the pinion 20 for transmitting the power of thedriving spring to the signal wheel. The wig-wag 32 is carried by apivot. 33.and driven by a toothed wheel 34 which is mounted with thepinion 35 on the sleeve 36 on shaft 36. This shaft is held in place bythe hearings in the plates 10 and .11 and by the cover plates 37 and 38.Each of these plates 37 and 38 is held in position, for instance by arivet 39 which serves as a pivot for it and a screw 40. To remove theshaft 33 or the shaft 36' it is simply necessary to remove the screw 40,swing the plate 37 so as to clear the endsof ecured' to the gear 31 is apinion 41 which meshes with the segmental gear 42. This latter has asleeve 43 and is mounted between the plates 10 and 11 on the shaft 44which extends through to the rear and has upon it '80 the outer end ofthe sleeve 23 and tem-' stopped by'abutment 5 1. Should the oper- CIJ aspring tending-to hold the shaft 14k and the arm' 416 11116116 posltionshown 1n Figs; 1 and 2 where the arm 16 abuts against the stop 17w-hiclris'carried by a part- 18 pf the 5 front plate 10. This part 1-8serves as .an

abutment for the segmental gear 42. The arm 16 has a pawl 19 which ispivotediat. and spring pressed toward the axis of the shaft 1 1. Thispawl extends around one edge. ofthe arm 4J5 into the path of movementofthe pawl .51 which is pivotally. se-

cured at52 .on the segmental gear 42." This pawl '51 is spring press dtoward the axis of the shaft 14. The operating or pull lever53.

is secured on the outer angular end of the shaft 1-1 in any suitablemanner.

Normally the two pawls A19 and 51 are in engagement with each other sothat when the V lever 53 is pulled down the arm -16 rotating -20 becauseoftheinterengagement of the pawls "with-it rotates also the segmentalgear 42 19 and 51. This rotates'the pinion 411 and the gear: 31clockwise as viewed from the front and .thus rotates the pinion 20andsingle toothed ratchet 19 anticlockwise.

. Should the handle 53 be released beforethe ratchet 19 makes acompleterevolution-the spring 21 will return the rotat ng parts to theirHOIDIZLlPOSltlOIlS without having operi 'ated thesignal shaft 16 and thesignal wheel 115. In;case,the lever is pulled far enough to give one ormore complete rotations to the singletoothed ratchet "19 and thus allowthexpawl 18 to againcatch the ratchet '19 ,then, in that case, as soonas the handle '53 is released'the main spring 21 will rotate ,the gear31, pin-ion 20, ratchet 19, pawl18 and gear 17. and the signal shaft 16and wheel 15 one or more turns depending upon the number of times the.singlev toothed ratchet 19 has been rotated by the winding action of'thelever or handle 53. This single toothed ratchet connection between thepinion 2O and-the gear l7'makes it impossible to produce anything but afull signal rotation of ;the signal wheel and thus makes it impossibleto send a partial signal as is the case when the ratchet connection :be-

tweenthe pinion, and, gear on the signalj shaft has more than one tooth.

'Althoughthepawls 1-9'and 51 are normalfly; interlocked" orinterengaged, it will be .noted that when the'lev er handle 53 is pulled.;-far enough to obtain the requisite rotation of the. single toothedratchet 19 and the handle isfthen released the spring 415 will returnthehandle to its initial position more 'hrapidly than the main drivingspring 're turns the segmental gear -42. This .means' "thatthe pawls 49and 51 will become separratedand'the outer tip of the pawl 51*willimmediatelytmove toward the aXisof the i-shaft, stand out of the path ofmovement Yof the operating tipof the pawl 49. being ating lever handle53 be again pulled before the signal has been completed the'pawl 19cannot again engage the pawl'51 and it is therefore impossible to"interfere-with the signal whichhas once been started. As the signal isbeing completed however the seglment-al. geana'Q carries the pawl 51around with it until the tip of the pawl engages [the stationaryabutment 418 on the plate 10 and thus forces the tip of the pawl 51,out-

1.-1n a spring motor,--a combination of a.

frame having mounting plates, a main drivmg shaft nvotally supportedtherem, a

sleeve mounted on said shaft-outside of said frame, movable means ofconnectionbetween said sleeve and said-shaft, aspring on the outsideofsaid frame connected to, said sleeve and to said frame saidsleeve-having a socket -to receive means" for rotating said sleeve. 7

2. In a spring motor, a frame containing a gear train, a maindrivingshaft extending beyond said frame, a sleeve on said'shaftextendlng beyond said frame, a spring outside of said frame andconnected to said sleeve and to said frame, apin connecting saidsleeveand said shaft and a bracket on the outside ofsaid frame for holdingsaidspring 1n place. I

3. A spring motor comprising aframe, a

vmain shaft, driving spring-therefor, a

winding shaft, a spring forreturningsaid winding shaft independently ofsaidanain spring, a gear rotatable on said: winding:

shaft independently there'of and meshing with a gear on said springshaft, an arm carried by said'winding shaft and pivoted spring pressedinterengaging pawls carried by said arm'and by said segmental gear.

1. A spring motor comprising ai frame,

a. main driving shaft extending throughto the rear of said frame, adriving spring mounted on the outer-end th-eerof, a-windingshaftextending through said frame,

return spring mounted on the rearend thereof outsideof said frame,apulllever mounted on the front end of said winding shaft, a segmentalgear mounted on said winding shaft, .a gear on saidClTlVlIlgShfiffimeshing with said segmental gear and pawlconnectionsbetween' said winding] shaftsand said 1 segmental gear.

5. In a signal mechanism, a lever actuated gear, a inain spring andwindingshafthaw lit] the

ing driving connection with said gear, a shaft, a pinion free to turn onsaid shaft, a single toothed ratchet secured to said pinion, a gearcarried by said shaft, a pawl carried by said gear and positioned tolatch with said ratchet and an escapement connected to said gear.

6. Signal mechanism comprising a gear, a shaft therefor, a pinionmounted to turn independently on said shaft, a driving'spring forturning said pinion, means for winding said spring, a ratchet secure-dto said pinion and having but a single tooth, a spring actuated pawlcarried by said gear and coacting with said ratchet and an escapementdriven by said gear. 1

7. In a pull box, a driving spring, a shaft therefor, a pull lever, ashaft therefor, a gear mounted to turn independently on said levershaft, a releasable pawl between said lever shaft and said gear, a gearon said spring shaft meshing with said first mentioned gear, a secondgear on said spring shaft, .a wheel,

a shaft therefor, a pinion mounted to turn on said wheel shaft andmeshing with said second gear, a single toothed ratchet at tached tosaid pinion, a gear carried by said wheel shaft, a pawl carried by saidlatter gear forcoacting with said ratchet,

and escapement mechanism driven by said latter gear. 7

8. blgnal mechanism comprising a shaft, a

pawl pivotally carried by said shaft, a gear arm, an oscillating member,a pawl movably carried thereby and coacting with said first mentionedpawl, abutments for said member, said arm and said latter pawl, andmeans for automatically moving said latter pawl from a positionpermitting coaction with said first mentioned pawl when the two becomeseparated.

11. In a signal mechanism, an oscillatory lever, a shaft to which saidlever is fastened, an arm carried by and fastened to said shaft, a pawlmounted on said arm,a second oscillating member, a pawl mounted thereon,

stops for said oscillating members, and an abutment for said latter pawlwhereby this pawl is swung into a position permitting coaction with saidfirst mentioned pawl, and means for automatically moving said latterpawl from a position permitting coaction with said first mentioned pawlwhen the latter pawl becomes free to move from its coacting position.

12. In a signal mechanism, two oscillable members, pawls carried therebyand normally interlocked when the parts are at rest, each of saidpawlsbeing movable away from the other pawl.

13. In a signal mechanism, two'oscillable members, spring actuated andpivoted pawls carried by said members and normally interlocked when saidmembers are at rest.

14. In a signal mechanism, two oscillable members, pawls yieldablycarried thereby, and means for normally holding said pawls in engagementwhen said members are at rest.

15. In a construction of the character described, frame plates havingperforations or recesses, angular spacing columns having abuttingshoulders for said plates and lugs extending into said perforations andscrews,

passing through one plate and into the other between the sides of saidcolumn for holding the parts together.

16. In a construction of the character described, frame plates havingperforations or recesses, spacing columns of angular cross sectionhaving a part of the ends formed to serve as abutting shoulders for saidplates and a part of said endsformed to pass into or through saidperforations, and means for holding the plates against said abuttingshoulders.

17. In a construction of the character described, frame plates havingperforations or recesses, sheet metal spacing columns bent to form anangular cross section and having the ends formed as described, andrecesses at the ends of the angular bend to allow for the expressedfins.

